Applicator for dispensing liquids from containers



W. Y. ALLEN APPLICATOR FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS FROM CONTAINERS Filed July 30, 1928 Patented o r. 20,1931

WILLIAM Y. ALLEN, or BERKELEY, catmomwm urmoa'roa roe DISPENSING mourns anon con'rnmnns Application filed July 30,1928. Serial- No. 296,126.

This invention relates to improvements in applicators for dispensing liquid from containers. More particularly it provides a cap 7 for a container, in which container-closing 5 means 18 combined with dispensing and applying means forwliquid contents, using the container as-a handle. A principal utility of the invention is for liquids desired t9 be deposited on a surface in limited quantity, 6r-

"a uid contents of the container to a surface which is being treated, This transformation is accomplished by an interior snap disk for the cap, normally tending to remain always within the cap as a closure-washer, but hav- =-e5 ing'a handle for disengaging it'when the liqaid-dispensing operation through the cap is Wanted, and for replacing it when the container is to be sealed tight.

gently wiped over the surface as with a soft .flexible brush, or may be stifiy' rubbed into the material to which it isapplied. In the case of cleaning liquids applied to fabrics, the'liquid may thus he passed completely through the material, taking up foreign matter and depositing it according to approved practice on a' suitable absorbent backer which may be a blotter. v

Theseresults 'follo from the relative shape and arrangement of a laminated felt applicator tip, and the clamping means by which this tip isheld on the cap. Thelaminae of the felt tip have their planes parallel to certain rectilinear clamping jaws of metal, by which they are held tightly in atransverse plane or zone of compression between the two straight-line jaws. About this zone the pro jecting part of the-tip can oscillate rather 50 freelyin a bi-ushing action, somewhat as on The applicator provides so that in additionthey hold on the cap. to being merely sopped on, the liquidmay be a hinge, with the flexible nature of the laminae and the relative looseness of their fibrous connection to each other utilized to the full. Perpendicular these jaws and crossing the laminae perpendicularly are other .inturned clamping edges of metal, about which the tip can oscillate only with more difiiculty and stifiiy,' more as when one rubs with a block.

The invention also provides so that the felt applying device can be compact enough at the neck where it is clamped to insure slow feed of liquid, its laminae being there closely matted while the outward portion is rather freely flexible.

Thus structural features of felt and of clamp aremade to cooperate and it is moreover a feature that by reason of the rectilinear edges the combined device embodies a very simple and economical structure of each of its elements,,which makes it inexpensive to manufacture, yet convenient, efficient and practicalfor a variety of uses.

' The particular cap illustrated is adapted to be screwed over the mouth of a can or other container, although it might be otherwise fastened; and the cap carries two pairs of jaws, acting cross-wise of each other on the base edge portion of a mass of felt which These jaws are plate projections of sheet metal bent up from a base secured to the cap, are inclined inward as they rise, and have their edges turned further inward, like claws. The felt mass may be made by cutting a rectangular piece from a suitably thic piece of laminated felt. The jaws of the broader pair are set in against the felt in the direction of theethickness of the original sheet. Their edges therefore extend parallel to the planes of the laminae; and they com press the laminae strongly together in a straight zone, with what is herein called a hinge grip. The main part of the felt laminated mass projects from the cap. considerably beyond this pair of straight edged jaws; andthe projecting portion is freely flexible as on a bin e about the zone where it is thus' compresse and thus produces easy brush action which is uniform along the whole of the hinge line. i

The other pair of jaws are sunk into the edges of felt at the ends of the said hinge line. These extend across the thickness of the laminae; and they hold the felt with the relatively less flexibility which characterizes the laminae when elfort is made to bend them in the direction in which the laminar planes extend. And this grip is herein called the block grip as distinguished from the hinge grip of the first mentioned pair of clamping jaws.

These two pairs of plate jaws may be integral parts of the same piece of sheet metal; but a deep cleft exists between each plate jaw and the adjacent jaw of the other pair.

\Vithin the top the usual gasket may be employed, but a small central perforation extending through the gasket and through the metal top of the cap and metal base of the jaws provides for passage of liquid to the felt mass beyond. The edges of tinned iron thus denuded by the puncturing might rust; but the setting of a brass eyelet in this perforation prevents the passing of rust which otherwise might seep through and stain a fabric on which the applicator is being used, by housing the denuded edges in brass, and at the same time it secures the cap and jawbase together. Closure means for this hole consists of a flexible, elastic, imperforate,- oversize disk. The fit is such as to produce a snap action in passing the screw threads; andthis disk has a protruding central stem, constituting a handle by which the insertion and removal of the disk is accomplished. This stem has another function when the disk is out, for it helps keep the disk clean, keeps it in sight, and helps in picking it up. When the disk is set into the cap, and the latter is screwed on a container, liquid contents are sealed tight against escape. When the cap is removed, contents can be poured out as usual; or, upon removing the cap, extracting the closure disk from it, and replacin the cap, and using the container as the handle of an applicator, the liquid can pass through the cap into the felt and by that can be sopped out without rubbing; or can be gently spread over a surface as by a brush, by moving the tip to and fro about its hinge line; or can'be rubbed into the material being treated, by moving it to and fro in the direction of said hinge line.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation showing the invention embodied in a container, viewing it on the side of thebroad jaws and in the direction of movement for brush or hinge action;

Figure is an elevation, in section on line 22 of Figure 1, being seen in the direction of movement for block action, although showreaaeae ing the container sealed by presence of the closure disk;

Figure3 is a view on the same section as in Figure 2, but with the closure disk removed from the cap, and showing the device in use for dispensing with brush action;

Figure 4 is a plan of the container with the felt mass removed; and

Figure 5 is a perspective of the closure disk, enlarged.

ward and has its top edge bent abruptly inward making its straight upper edge a sort of claw of substantial length. The plates 16, whose compressing of the felt makes the hinge grip, are somewhat broader than the plates 17 whose compressing of the felt makes the block grip. As a whole they effect a tight gripping of the block 18, of felt or other suitable fibrous material. The felt has a laminated structure. It is arranged on the cap 14, within the clamping jaws 16, 17, so that standing on the base 15 the laminae extend vertically and run parallel to the jaws 16, with a substantial portion-of the whole mass projecting beyond the jaws 16, 17.

Being approximately rectangular this mass may be out without waste from a sheet of felt of suitable thickness. The setting of the jaws 16, 17 into its sides and ends gives it the shape shown. The hinge-jaws 16 may be set into it to varying degrees according to the liquid which is to be dispensed, or according to desire, so as to make the zone at the hinge line be more or less tightly compacted to control the rate of outflow of liquid.

The laminae of the felt being to a restrictedextent independent of each other, due to the fibres in any lamina being more loosely con nected to fibres in a neighboring lamina than to fibres in their own lamina, the mass as a whole acts freely flexible when pressed in direction to bend it about thestraight edges ofthe plate jaws 16, very much as bristles slip over each other when a paint brush is used. But when pushed as if to bend about the block grip edges 17, the stiffest dimension of each and every lamina resists the bending, aided by the stiffness of the plates 16, whose grip is such as to prevent the bases of the laminae from being displaced. This gives the block action for rubbing stifily on a surface. The deep clefts between plates 16 and plates 17 permit the hinge effect to extend close to the end; and the relatively short-er extent of the block grip jaws 17 minimizes the restrictive effect which these till "'plates might have upon the bending about extends also throug h the gasket to provide tit) a passage for liquldffrom the container to the felt mass. .W'hen the container is not in use as a dispenser of liquid, this passage 22 is to be closed by an imperforate elastic disk 24 which is of such size, and material, for

example of celluloid, as to snap into the cap and be held therein by the threads thereof, when the cap is off and when the cap is on, to be compressed between the gasket 20 and the bottle top. A stem 26 on the disk 24 affords a permanent leverage for prying it out of the cap, and for handling this disk when re moved. This may be a simple rod of celluloid stuck endwise tothe disk, by application with a celluloid solvent, as acetone.

In its use for sealing the mouth of a con-. tainer the disk 24 will be in position within the cap, as seen in Figure 2. It is so thin and flexible that the gasket exerts its sealing effect through this disk. When liquid is to be dispensed according to the invention, the cap is to be unscrewed from the container and the disk 2st pried out by its handle 26. It easily snaps out becauseof its resilience. Then the cap is to be replaced. The container is thus closed tightly by the gasket 20 except for the small opening 22 under the tightly constricted part of the felt. When the can is inverted its liquid contents can pass through the passage 22 to the felt of the applicator, and underv the working to and fro of fibres a sufficientquantity of air can pass reversely, and thus the contents can be applied to the material being treated either as by a flexiblebrush, or by rubbing as with a block of felt.

The disk 24: can be made distinctive, for recovering it after being out of, use, by making the handle of a distinctive color, as red,

while the disk proper is white. The resilient material and slight oversize of the disk pro.-

vide against its droppingout and becomin lost when the cap is removed.

' The .feed opening 22 goes through the gasket 20, the cap Hand the plate 15,,which comprises the base of the device 16,17, for

holding the dispensing felt. The plate 15- may be secured on the top of the cap b the inserting of an eyelet 23, on the axis 0 this opening. Rigidity of the plate, holding the application; tip of felt during rubbing, to

, avoid its rotation relative to the cap, may be though three are here illustrated; while if preferred solder or other securing means may attained as here illustrated by providing one or more other eyelets 25,.inserted at the same time, clamping the base 15 to the top of cap 14. Ordinarily one such is sufficient, al-

be employed. Being covered by the gasket 20, the eccentric eyelets 25 do not permit the rate of outflow through this eyelet may be so retarded by the tightness of compression .of the felt by the jaws 16 that even when the container is used to hold a volatile liquidthe disk 24: can with safety be left out of the cap over intervals bet-ween periods of using the applicator. By the insertion of this disk and the screwing of the cap upon the container the closure is made complete and tight.

The applicator described may economically and satisfactorily be made as a tin can with'tin cover or cap.v In that case the tin plated iron becomes denuded where the puncture is made. for the 'hole 22, and the raw edges are liable to corrosion, from which rust may be carried through by the liquid to the fabric which is being treated. But by making the'eyelet 23 of brass the denuded raw edges of the iron become so housed between the flanges of the eyelet that their corrosion is delayed or prevented; and even if rust be present it is so housed within the brass that the outflowing liquid has no access to it.

I claim as my invention: 1. A dispensing cap for a liquid container,

comprising. a cap body adapted to be fastened over the mouth of the container, and having aportion overlying said mouth; a plurality of separate laminae of porous material assembled together to form a flexible, laminated, porous spreader massoli the outer face of the cap; and a removable and replaceable disk, adapted for arrangement within the cap and large enough to be engaged between container rim and cap; there being a small perforation in the face of the cap, opposite the mouth of the container, for

restricted outflow of liquid to moisten said porous spreader mass; said disk constituting a closure adapted by its said removal to 'permit liquid supply to the spreader, and by'its said replacement to arrest said supply, during inversion of the container and while said moistened. spreader may continue to be manipulated in use.

2. A dispensingcap for a liquid container comprising a cap body adapted to be fastened over the mouth of the container, having a disk overlying the mouth, with a, small per-- foratio'n for restricted outflow of liquid; a gasket within thecap body, underlying its said disk, and with a perforation registering with the perforation in said disk, the said gasket constituting a tight closure except as to said perforation; and a removable and replaceable closure disk also within the cap, large enough to be, compressed between container rim and gasketwith sealing contact thereby closing access of contents to said perforation.

3. A dispensing cap for a liquid container comprising a cap body adapted to screw over the mouth of the container, having a disk overlying the mouth, with a small perforation for restricted outflow of liquid; a gasket within the cap body, underlying its said disk, and with a perforation registering with the perforation in said disk, the said gasket constituting a tight closure except as to said perforation; a resiliently removable closure disk within the cap, being of resilient material slightly larger than and engaged within the screw threads of the cap, and adapted to be compressed between the container rim and gasket with sealing Contact thereby closing access of contents to said perforation; and a stem on the disk projecting toward the mouth of the cap for snapping the disk out of and into its position of engagement within the cap.

4. A dispensing cap for a liquid container,

comprising a cap body adapted to befastoned over the mouth of the container, having a disk portion overlying the mouth, with a small perforation for restricted outflow of liquid; a plurality of separate laminae of felt assembled together to form a laminated porous mass on the outer face of said disk portion of cap, with the laminae set edgewise across the perforation in said disk; and clamping jaws for the felt on said outer face, comprising a pair having a grip with rectilinear edges parallel to the planes of said laminae, and near the base edge of said mass. whereby the proiecting parts of individual laminae are freely flexible, and the projecting part of the mass as a whole bends easily to and fro about the rectilinear edges of said ]3.WS.

5. A dispensing cap for a liquid container, comprising a cap body adapted to be fastened over the mouth of the container, having a disk portion overlying the mouth, with a small perforation for restricted outflow of liquid; a plurality of separate laminae of felt assembled together to form a laminated porous mass on the outer face of said disk portion of cap, with the laminae set edgewise across the perforation in said disk; clamping jaws for the felt on said outer face, comprising a pair having a grip with rectilinear edges parallel to the planes of said laminae, and near the base edge of said mass, whereby the projecting parts of individual laminae are freely flexible, and the projecting part of the mass as a whole bends easily to and fro about the rectilinear edges of said aws; and another pair ofvjaws set with grip extending along a line perpendicular to the planes of said laminae. I

6. A dispensing cap for a liquid container comprising a cap body adapted to screw over the mouth of the container, with a gasket, each having a hole constituting a dispensing perforation in the portion thereof which overlies the said mouth; a plate with clamping jaws on the outer face of said portion; an eyelet at the perforation, securing plate and cap together; a plurality of separate laminae of felt assembled together to form a flexible, porous mass gripped by said jaws so as to stand close against said overlying portion of the cap and across the said eyelet; the jaws being arranged with WILLIAM Y. ALLEN.

Signed at Boston, July, 1928. 

